2016-10-17

Le GP3R fêtera son cinquantenaire avec la Série NASCAR Pinty’s, le rallycross FIA présenté par Monster Energy et l’AMA SuperMoto Cogeco

 

 

 

 


Ententes de trois ans avec trois importants championnats

Le GP3R fêtera son cinquantenaire avec la Série NASCAR Pinty's, le rallycross FIA présenté par Monster Energy et l'AMA SuperMoto Cogeco

 

TROIS-RIVIÈRES, le vendredi 14 octobre 2016 | Le Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières a conclu des ententes à long terme avec la Série NASCAR Pinty's, le Championnat du monde de rallycross FIA présenté par Monster Energy ainsi qu'avec le Championnat AMA SuperMoto, qui feront de ces séries les pierres d'assises des 48e, 49e et 50e éditions du réputé festival de sports mécaniques.

Grâce à ces ententes, le GP3R confirme que ses activités s'étaleront sur deux week-ends en 2017, 2018 et 2019. Les billets sont d'ailleurs déjà en vente pour la prochaine édition qui se tiendra du 4 au 13 août 2017, au même prix qu'en 2016. « Le succès de l'édition 2016 du Grand Prix nous a convaincus que nous avions trouvé une recette qui valait la peine d'être gardée, a expliqué Dominic Fugère, directeur général du GP3R.  Avec une série nationale canadienne de stock car, une série américaine de motos et un championnat du monde de la FIA, nous avons la base d'une programmation qui nous permet de regarder de notre 50e anniversaire cette annéà notre 50e édition en 2019. »

 

Deux week-ends déjà bien remplis

Ces ententes à long terme s'ajoutent à celles déjà en place avec la Coupe Nissan Micra, le Championnat canadien de voitures de tourisme, le Formula Tour 1600, la Coupe Porsche Canada Challenge GT3 Ultra94 présentée par Yokohama et les Prototypes Lites présentés par Cooper Tire, qui seront tous au programme 2017 de circuit routier du GP3R, qui se déroulera du 11 au 13 août 2017.

Le Championnat du monde de rallycross FIA présenté par Monster Energy et l'AMA SuperMoto Cogeco seront quant à eux présentés du 4 au 6 août sur le circuit mi-asphalte, mi terre battue du GP3R. « Nous sommes très flattés de la confiance que nous octroient NASCAR, la FIA, et l'AMA, a ajoutéFugère. Leur engagement à long terme démontre leur appréciation du travail de nos dirigeants, de nos employés et de nos quelque 1000 bénévoles. »

 

Confiance à long terme des directeurs de séries

Paul Bellamy, directeur de la gestion du Championnat du monde de rallycross FIA présenté par Monster Energy pour IMG était heureux de pouvoir compter Trois-Rivières à son calendrier jusqu'en 2019.

« Nous sommes ravis de cette entente qui assurera le retour du Canada au calendrier du rallycross mondial pour les trois prochaines années, a-t-il dit. Dominic et l'équipe du GP3R ont travaillé fort lors des trois dernières années pour faire croître notre manche canadienne, et nous avons hâte de collaborer pour garantir qu'elle connaisse encore plus de succès dans les années à venir. »

 

Tony Spiteri, vice-président au marketing de Pinty's, était aussi très fier de cette entente à long terme. « Nous, chez Pinty's, sommes vraiment fiers d'être du GP3R pour les trois prochaines saison, a-t-il dit. Leur weekend de la série NASCAR Pinty's est non seulement un fait saillant de notre calendrier, mais notre série aidera aussi le GP3R à célébrer 50 ans d'histoire en sport automobile pendant cette période. Félicitations à tous ceux qui ont rendu ceci possible. »

 

L'AMA SuperMoto Cogeco fait déjà bien partie de la famille

Quant à Matt Stewart, directeur des opérations de l'AMA SuperMoto, il se disait aussi très heureux que sa série ait été adoptée aussi chaleureusement par les spectateurs et l'équipe du GP3R après une seule saison au calendrier. « Nos pilotes, nos équipes et nos partenaires ont adoré leur expérience au GP3R, et c'est un honneur pour nous de pouvoir contribuer à la tradition d'excellence de l'événement en étant de la partie pour les célébrations du cinquantenaire, a dit Stewart. Nous sommes peut-être un championnat américain mais, au GP3R, nous nous sentons vraiment chez nous. »

 

Le GP3R, tenu pour la première fois en 1967, fête son 50e anniversaire en 2017. En revanche, sa 50e édition se tiendra en 2019 en vertu de l'annulation des éditions 1986, 1987 et 1988.

Les billets pour les deux week-ends d'activités du GP3R 2017 sont en vente au mêmes prix qu'en 2016 au http://tinyurl.com/GP3R2017 ainsi que par téléphone au 1-866-416-9797.

 

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2016-10-16

Gilliland Clinches K&N West Championship At Roseville

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Gilliland Clinches K&N West Championship At Roseville

·   BMR Teammates Eggleston, Landauer Finish 2nd, 3rd

 

ROSEVILLE, Calif. (Oct. 15, 2016) – Todd Gilliland clinched the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship with an eighth-place finish in the season finale Toyota / NAPA AUTO PARTS 150 presented by TriCo Welding Supplies at All American Speedway on Saturday.

 

It capped off a record-setting season for Gilliland, a 16-year-old rookie from Sherrills Ford, North Carolina in the No. 16 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry for Bill McAnally Racing.

 

It marks the second straight series championship for BMR and a record seventh overall for the team that won titles in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2008, 2010, and 2015.

 

"We had an amazing season," said Gilliland, a member of the NASCAR Next program that spotlights NASCAR's rising stars. "I've got to say thank you to NAPA AUTO PARTS and Toyota, TRD, Frontliner Enterprises – everyone that made it possible – and to Bill McAnally for giving us the opportunity."

                                                      

Gilliland wrapped up the year with six wins, 11 top-five, and 13 top-10 finishes in 14 starts.

 

"To have six wins out of 14 races in my rookie year is amazing, better than anything we ever expected," he said. 

 

Gilliland is the youngest to win the series championship at 16 years 5 months old, as well as becoming the youngest champion in the history of the NASCAR national or touring series.

 

Gilliland's BMR teammates, Chris Eggleston and Julia Landauer finished second and third, respectively – with Eggleston in the No. 50 NAPA Filters / H2O Fire Protection Toyota Camry and Landauer in the No. 54 Curb Records Toyota Camry. BMR driver Cole Moore finished seventh in the No. 20 JM Environmental/YP Toyota Camry, while a fifth BMR driver, Riley Herbst, came home 12th in the No. 19 NAPA Power Premium Plus Alternators & Starters Toyota Camry.

Gilliland started from the pole after qualifying was cancelled due to weather issues. He quickly settled into second in the rain-delayed event and remained there through much of the race. A bid for the lead in the late stages of the event left him with damage to his car and he faded in the final laps to finish eighth.

 

Eggleston, who started seventh on the grid, made a quick charge to the front and shadowed Gilliland through the mid-stages of the race. He capitalized on the battle for the lead to make a thrilling three-wide move to take second and then challenged the leader for the win several times as the laps wound down.

 

Landauer started fifth and ran a steady race to pick up her second straight podium finish.

 

Ryan Partridge, who challenged Gilliland for the title, held on for the win in a green-white-checkered finish.

 

Landauer, a rookie and member of the NASCAR Next program, finished the season fourth in the championship standings and second in rookie points. The 24-year-old New York native – who resides in Charlotte, North Carolina – had seven top-five and 13 top-10 finishes in 14 career series starts this year.

 

Eggleston, the 2015 series champion, ended up sixth in the final championship standings. The Erie, Colorado driver had two wins, eight top-five, and 10 top-10 finishes in 14 series starts.

 

Herbst, a 17-year-old series rookie from Las Vegas, wrapped up his season seventh in the overall championship standings and third in rookie points. He had seven top-five and 10 top-10 finishes in 14 career series starts.

 

The Roseville race was Moore's sixth series start of the season and his best career finish as he focused on gaining experience racing select events on this year's schedule. 

 

Gilliland, meanwhile, is the third generation of his family to capture the series spotlight. His father, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series veteran David Gilliland, won the rookie title in 2004, and his grandfather, Butch Gilliland, won the 1997 championship in the series, when it was known as the NASCAR Winston West Series.

 

In winning his series debut in the season finale a year ago, Gilliland had become the youngest race winner in the history of the series at the age of 15 years 5 months 28 days.

 

His six wins this year match Brendan Gaughan's 2001 mark for the most victories in a season by a BMR driver.

 

The Toyota / NAPA AUTO PARTS 150 will be televised on NBCSN on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. ET.

 

Drivers and teams will celebrate their accomplishments of the 2016 season at the NASCAR Night of Champions Touring Awards celebration at the NASCAR Hall of Fame at the Charlotte Convention Center on Dec. 10.

 

_______________________________________________________________________________

 

Bill McAnally Racing ·900 Riverside Avenue ·Roseville, CA 95678 ·(916) 676-0010

Website: www.BMRNAPA.com   Facebook: Bill McAnally Racing

Twitter: @BMR_NASCAR   Instagram: BMR_NASCAR   Snapchat: Bill McAnally Racing



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2016-10-13

Devil’s Bowl Speedway 50th Season in Review – Part 2: Dirt Sportsman Modifieds

Devil's Bowl Speedway 50th Season in Review – Part 2: Dirt Sportsman Modifieds

Hackel dominates for first NASCAR Dirt championship

 

For Immediate Release                                                                                                                                                                                 DBS-101316-1

 

WEST HAVEN, Vt. – This is the second installment of the "Devil's Bowl Speedway 50th Season in Review" series.  This series takes a retrospective look at an action-packed year of stock car racing in 2016 on the half-mile Asphalt Track and the 3/10-mile Dirt Track at Devils Bowl Speedway, division by division.

***

Sportsman Modifieds – Dirt Track – NASCAR Whelen All-American Series "Division I"

Division Sponsor: Central Vermont Motorcycles

Champion: Bobby Hackel – Rensselaer, N.Y.

Rookie of the Year: Justin Severance – Pittsford, Vt.

 

Mother Nature tried her best to disrupt the 50th Season at Devil's Bowl Speedway in 2016, particularly the first full season of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing at the 3/10-mile Dirt Track.  Thankfully, she quit halfway through the year.  Bobby Hackel, however, never did.

After three consecutive rainouts, the fourth-generation racer opened the Dirt Track season on Sunday, June 12 by winning the first of two 25-lap features for the Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modified division on Brown's Quarried Slate/Brown's Orchard & Farm Stand Night.  Veteran driver Tim LaDuc – who was in a medically-induced coma for almost a month following a severe lung infection just six weeks earlier – was physically drained but finished second.

Vince Quenneville Jr. rebounded from a tough 11th-place showing earlier in the Brown's event to win the second feature of the night – his lone dirt victory in 2016 – topping Tim Hodge and Derrick McGrew.

Seven-time Devil's Bowl champion Kenny Tremont Jr. earned his 71st career win in West Haven at the Central Vermont Motorcycles-sponsored "topless" Father's Day race on June 19, which saw the cars run without roofs.  McGrew and Adam Pierson were next in line at the finish.  A major wreck early in the race collected 16 of the 22 starters, though most were able to continue.

After a scheduled off-week, it was Hackel back in the winner's circle on July 3 for the WhistlePig Whiskey Firecracker.  The race was halted after an accident involving Ron Casey, who appeared to suffer a medical emergency just before crashing into the wall.  Sadly, Mr. Casey passed away at a local hospital several hours later.  Once the race resumed, Hackel continued to dominate, followed by Justin Comes and Jackie Brown Jr.

Rain on both ends of a mid-summer break effectively meant no racing again for a month, but when the season got back on track, it got busy.  A double-feature night onAugust 7 resulted in another win for Hackel in the first race, but the star of the night was Chad Miller.  The unheralded White River Junction, Vt., driver took even himself by surprise with a runner-up finish in the opening race, but then shocked everyone with a win in the nightcap.  He held off Tremont by six feet to win the second race, scoring at Devil's Bowl for the first time since a Pro Stock event in 1998; his best finish of the season prior to the event had been 20th place.

Three short nights later, Tremont took the "Whelen Wednesday" event on August 10 for the twice-postponed Whelen Engineering Mid-Season Championships.  An early wreck severely damaged the body on Tremont's car, but he soldiered on to the win.  As Tremont did, Hackel, LaDuc, and rookie Justin Severance all came from deep in the starting order to finish in positions two through four.

Back again on Sunday, August 14 for Liberty Street Discount Beverage & Deli Night, Hackel made history by sweeping both the Modified and Sprint Car feature victories, becoming only the second driver in Devil's Bowl's 50 seasons to win in two divisions on the same night, and the first to do so on dirt.

After the sixth rainout of the season on August 21, it was Hackel again on August 28.  This time, his win came in the Charlie LaDuc Memorial "Ol' Reliable 54."  Tim LaDuc, son of the late fan favorite, had a chance at what would have been an emotional victory but settled for the runner-up spot.

Labor Day weekend brought the third and final double-feature night on September 4.  Justin Comes shed a month's worth of bad luck by dominating the first 25-lapper for his first Devil's Bowl win, and Hackel picked up the second race win.  "Downtown" Jackie Brown Jr. had his best night of the year with a pair of runner-up finishes, while Brian Whittemore, Billy Lussier, Codie Aubin, and Jason Bruno each earned season-best finishes with top-five runs over the two races.

September 11 finally saw the twice-rained-out Interstate All Battery Center "Vince Quenneville Sr. Memorial 38" get in the books, and another first-time Devil's Bowl winner in Wayne Stearns.  The former champion at Bear Ridge, Canaan Fair, and Legion Speedways pounced on Louie Cadwell to take the lead with five laps left.  LaDuc also squeezed by for second place with Cadwell, Allan Hammond, and Comes rounding out the top five.

After the seventh and final Dirt Track race event rainout on September 18, Hackel posted his seventh and final win on September 25.  Rookie Lenny Pillsbury had his best run by leading the first 15 laps before Comes took over.  Hackel reached Comes late and wrestled the lead away with two laps left; Comes and Pillsbury finished second and third, respectively.

It was all Tremont at the season finale on Saturday, October 1.  Terrible late-season luck – including a flip a week earlier – put Tremont on the pole by virtue of the handicap system, and he buried the field with an undisputed Stove Depot "King of the Clay" 100 win.  LaDuc and Pierson had a sensational fight for second place, which went LaDuc's way.  Hackel wrapped up his title season in fourth place with Quenneville fifth.

Despite a winless season, LaDuc ended the year as the runner-up in the championship standings, edging Tremont by three points.  Quenneville took fourth overall with Comes fifth.  Severance, from Pittsford, Vt., put together an impressive run of 10 top-10 finishes in the season's 14 races to seal up the Rookie of the Year title and sixth place in the point standings.  In all, 63 different drivers competed in the division in 2016.

As the "Devil's Bowl Speedway 50th Season in Review" series continues soon, Part 3 will focus on the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Vermont State Championship fight for the Sportsman Modified division.

Devil's Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, Vt., four miles north of Exit 2 off of U.S. Route 4 and just 20 minutes from Rutland, Vt.  For more information, visit www.DevilsBowlSpeedwayVT.com or call (802) 265-3112.  Devil's Bowl Speedway is on Facebook at facebook.com/DevilsBowlSpeedway and on Twitter and Instagram at @DevilsBowlSpeed; follow the action using the #DevilsBowl hashtag.

 

FINAL 2016 POINT STANDINGS

Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modifieds

Devil's Bowl Speedway Dirt Track

1.       Bobby Hackel, Rensselaer, N.Y. – 745

2.       Tim LaDuc, Orwell, Vt. – 662

3.       Kenny Tremont Jr., West Sand Lake, N.Y. – 659

4.       Vince Quenneville Jr., Brandon, Vt. – 593

5.       Justin Comes, Middlebury, Vt. – 591

6.       Justin Severance, Pittsford, Vt. – 554

7.       Jackie Brown Jr., Hurley, N.Y. – 540

8.       Billy Lussier, Fair Haven, Vt. – 503

9.       Chad Miller, White River Junction, Vt. – 423

10.   Wayne Stearns, Bradford, Vt. – 392

 

Feature Winners: Bobby Hackel (7), Kenny Tremont Jr. (3), Justin Comes (1), Chad Miller (1), Vince Quenneville Jr. (1), Wayne Stearns (1).

 

Qualifying Heat Winners: Justin Comes (5), Tim LaDuc (5), Chris Murray (4), Kenny Tremont Jr. (3), Brian Whittemore (3), Bobby Hackel (2), Derrick McGrew (2), Justin Severance (2),  Codie Aubin (1), Jason Bruno (1),  Todd Buckwold (1), Jordan Fornwalt (1), Billy Lussier (1), Chad Miller (1), Vince Quenneville Jr. (1), Wayne Stearns (1).

 

Consolation/B-Main Winners: Justin Severance (2), Ryan Christian (1), Vince Quenneville Jr. (1).

 

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2016-10-12

October 12, 2016 at 02:04PM

Nos collègues de Speed51.com en ajoutent avec la publication de Rob Blount. "Une nouvelle rivalité est née: Stephen Nasse vs Dalton Sargeant" "Nasse executed a bump-and-run on Lessard for the lead in turn three. Lessard paid him back in turn two with a stronger bump that put Nasse into the wall. As those two worked to get their cars back under them, Sargeant dove to the bottom into three. Sargeant and Nasse then made contact, which sent both Nasse and Lessard into the wall" Vous voyez ça comment?
http://ift.tt/1wa9o30


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PASS North Championships To Be Decided At Oxford Plains This Weekend

PASS North Championships To Be Decided At Oxford Plains This Weekend





-       For Immediate Release

 

NAPLES, ME (October 12) – After the grind of another long season, the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) North Super Late Models and Modifieds will close out 2016 this Saturday afternoon at Maine's Oxford Plains Speedway.  The PASS Modifieds have an outstanding points battle heading to Oxford Plains with Andy Shaw leading by a slight four points over Ryan Robbins and third place points man Ben Tinker just 19 points behind Shaw.

The battle for the PASS North Super Late Model crown comes down to two former champions, DJ Shaw and Johnny Clark. Shaw leads Clark by 69 points as they come to Oxford Plains for Saturday afternoon's 150-lap event.  Clark, the former six-time series champion, recently captured his first win of the season at White Mountain Motorsports Park.  While Shaw has not won since Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in April, his consistency has him on the threshold of a second PASS North title.

"As far as the season goes, I would consider the season successful, but we really wanted more wins," says Shaw, driver of the Precision JLM/Mulkern Excavating #60.  "We race for wins and they just didn't come this year.  We still have a shot at winning our second race this weekend, but you always want more."

While Shaw has a fairly healthy advantage over Clark, he knows that Oxford Plains always has some of the best car counts on the circuit and that this weekend will be no different.  For the title hopefuls, an early problem could mean disaster when it comes to winning the championship.

"I think we will have a big field so, at first, we will play it safe and maybe, if a few cars drop out and the risk becomes less, we can go for the win," says Shaw.  "Point racing is a tough deal because we probably could have had one or two more wins, but you don't want to take risks.  Hopefully we have a good car and can take no chances and still come away with a win and a championship."

A strong field is expected on Saturday afternoon led by former Oxford 250 winners, Travis Benjamin, and Mike and Ben Rowe.  David Oliver returns to the seat of the #21 this weekend and will be joined by fellow Mainers Scott McDaniel, Michael Landry, David Farrington, Kirk Thibeau, Scott Robbins, Tracy Gordon, Denis Spencer, Jr., John Peters, Reid Lanpher, Tim and TJ Brackett, and Adam Polvinen.  2016 winner Derek Griffith will be back, along with Nova Scotia's Cole Butcher.

All the action gets under way bright and early Saturday morning with pit gates opening at 8 AM, followed by rotating practice at9:30 AM, heat races start at 2 PM, with feature events to follow for the PASS North Super Late Models, PASS Modifieds, Street Stocks, Rebels, and Legends. 

The complete weekend schedule and entry forms can be found at ProAllStarsSeries.com.

The Pro All Stars Series is recognized as North America's premier sanctioning body for asphalt Super Late Models and boasts such marquee events as the legendary Oxford 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway and PASS South's Easter Bunny 150 at the historic Hickory Motor Speedway.  For technical information concerning all PASS divisions please send questions topassracing@roadrunner.com.  For media or marketing questions, please contact Alan Dietz at 704-231-2039 oralandietzpass@live.com.  And, don't forget to "Like" the Pro All Stars Series on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @PASSSLM14 to keep up with breaking news as it happens.

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Devil’s Bowl Speedway 50th Season in Review – Part 1: Asphalt Sportsman Modifieds

Devil's Bowl Speedway 50th Season in Review – Part 1: Asphalt Sportsman Modifieds

Durgan takes championship thriller in a tiebreaker

 

For Immediate Release                                                                                                                                                                                 DBS-101116-1

 

WEST HAVEN, Vt. – Devil's Bowl Speedway's 50th season of stock car racing in 2016 was the busiest year in the facility's history with full schedules of action on two surfaces all summer long.  In all, 268 different drivers competed at the facility on the half-mile Asphalt Track or the 3/10-mile Dirt Track, with 48 trying both. A total of 46 drivers won feature races and 10 of them earned championships and bragging rights for the winter months.

The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series sanctioned weekly racing for Sportsman Modifieds, Renegades, and Mini Stocks on both tracks, along with Late Models on the pavement, and the Vermont State Championship for the "Division I" Sportsman Modifieds.  The winged Sprint Cars of New England tour made five appearances, and the Enduro Series alternated between surfaces in six events.

What follows is the first of a coming series of season reviews looking at each division.

***

Sportsman Modifieds – Asphalt Track – NASCAR Whelen All-American Series "Division I"

Division Sponsor: Bond Auto Parts

Champion: Jason Durgan – Morrisonville, N.Y.

Rookie of the Year: Chuck Bradford – Addison, Vt.

 

The 50th Season opened on Saturday night, May 21, with a 50-lap feature for the Bond Auto Parts Sportsman Modifieds on the Asphalt Track.  Defending champion "VQ2" Vince Quenneville Jr. of Brandon, Vt., started things off on the right foot with a dominating performance.  Jason Durgan finished second, though, and the tone was immediately set for the season-long championship battle.

Veteran Jimmy Ryan rebounded from a tough opening night to win the Yorkmont Auto Auctions "Memorial Day 5000" event on May 28.  Asphalt newcomer Jackie Brown Jr. finished second as Durgan ran to third and took over the point lead after Quenneville crashed out.

Travis Bruno scored his first-ever Devil's Bowl win on People's United Bank Night on June 4, but fought Quenneville off the entire distance.  After a week off for local high school graduation ceremonies, the Modifieds returned "topless" on June 18.  With roofs removed to give fans a different look and the cars a different feel, Joey "Fireball" Roberts held Durgan off for his sixth career win.

Billy Lussier gave his large hometown crowd cause for celebration at the annual Rutland Regional Medical Center "Hometown Heroes Night" on June 25, earning the first open-wheel Modified win of his career and his first victory of any kind in a dozen years.  The win marked the arrival of Lussier as a bona fide frontrunner and kick-started an outstanding season.

"Durga-Mania" finally ran wild at the Coca-Cola Firecracker on July 2, as the Morrisonville, N.Y., dominated the 44-lap main event.  Dave Snow scored a career-best runner-up finish after a long fight with Brown.  Quenneville had a poor night in ninth place.

Durgan was just getting warmed up, though, winning the next event at the rescheduled double-points Friend Construction Mid-Season Championships on July 23.  Quenneville finished second ahead of Bruno, Lussier, and Bob Kilburn.  Durgan made it three-straight wins on July 30 as he won the first of two features run on Community College of Vermont Night.  Lussier won the nightcap for his second career victory.

Facing a 33-point deficit as Durgan threatened a championship runaway, Quenneville turned his season around with a big win at the Carrara Masonry & Concrete C.J. Richards Memorial 67, just as Durgan's run hit its first speed bump.  Durgan bounced off the wall twice in the final leg of the three-segment race, and the second contact ended his night.  Durgan still finished fourth in the overall scoring finish for the event, but Quenneville's comeback had begun.

Rain on August 13 meant that the next race would be Brown's Quarried Slate/Brown's Orchard & Farm Stand Night on August 20.  As Alex Bell visited victory lane for the first time since 2013, Quenneville stayed hot in second place and Durgan crashed out again, finishing 13th; his point lead was slashed to just three markers.

The annual Sugar & Spice "Double Stack Night" on August 27 brought twin 25-lappers to the table with the title contenders splitting victories.  Durgan took the first race with Quenneville as the runner-up, but Quenneville won the second race with Durgan in seventh.  For the first time since opening night, Quenneville found himself back in the championship lead with only three feature races left in the season, pacing Durgan by seven points.

Labor Day weekend's event on September 3, presented by the "Go Rutland" mobile app, set up a jaw-dropping title chase scenario.  Durgan won the race for his fifth victory of the season, and Quenneville finished fourth.  Through qualifying and the feature, the pair found each other locked in a tie for the point lead entering the Vermont 200 Championship Weekend.

Former champion Ron Proctor put on a show in Saturday's opening Heritage Family Credit Union 50 at the Vermont 200, on September 10, waiting until the final corner to pass Travis Bruno and steal his first win of the season.  Durgan was third with Quenneville fifth, and entered Sunday's finale – the Leon Gonyo Memorial 50 – with a two-point lead.  Rookie Chuck Bradford of Addison, Vt., won Saturday's fifth annual "Non-Winners Shootout."

Quenneville did everything in his power to win the title by grabbing his fourth victory of the year on Sunday, but Durgan finished second to create another mathematical tie in the point standings.  Per Devil's Bowl Speedway and NASCAR rules, Durgan captured the tiebreaker for the championship based on overall victories for the season, 5-4, to win the closest, most exciting title in Devil's Bowl history.  The two drivers were classy in victory lane, congratulating each other on a hard-fought battle, and the fans saluted both with a raucous cheer.

Proctor ended the season third in the point standings, followed by Lussier and Brown.  With 12 top-10 finishes in 16 starts, former Mini Stock champion Bradford won the Rookie of the Year title, topping Matt Bilodeau.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of the "Devil's Bowl Speedway 50th Season in Review" series, which will look back at the Sportsman Modified division on the Dirt Track, coming soon.

Devil's Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, Vt., four miles north of Exit 2 off of U.S. Route 4 and just 20 minutes from Rutland, Vt.  For more information, visit www.DevilsBowlSpeedwayVT.com or call (802) 265-3112.  Devil's Bowl Speedway is on Facebook at facebook.com/DevilsBowlSpeedway and on Twitter and Instagram at @DevilsBowlSpeed; follow the action using the #DevilsBowl hashtag.

 

FINAL 2016 POINT STANDINGS

Bond Auto Parts Sportsman Modifieds

Devil's Bowl Speedway Asphalt Track

1.       Jason Durgan, Morrisonville, N.Y. – 828

2.       Vince Quenneville Jr., Brandon, Vt. – 828

3.       Ron Proctor, Charlton, N.Y. – 775

4.       Billy Lussier, Fair Haven, Vt. – 757

5.       Jackie Brown Jr., Hurley, N.Y. – 749

6.       Travis Bruno, Morrisonville, N.Y. – 730

7.       Joey Roberts, Fletcher, Vt. – 701

8.       Jimmy Ryan, Whiting, Vt. – 649

9.       Chuck Bradford, Addison, Vt. – 573

10.   Bob Kilburn, Fair Haven, Vt. – 518

 

Feature Winners: Jason Durgan (5), Vince Quenneville Jr. (4), Billy Lussier (2), Alex Bell (1), Travis Bruno (1), Ron Proctor (1), Joey Roberts (1), Jimmy Ryan (1).

 

Qualifying Heat Winners: Ron Proctor (4), Vince Quenneville Jr. (4), Dave Snow (4), Jason Durgan (3), Billy Lussier (3), Jackie Brown Jr. (2), Travis Bruno (1), Bob Kilburn (1), Joey Roberts (1), Jimmy Ryan (1).

 

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ACCIDENT FORCES RAPHAËL LESSARD OUT OF WINCHESTER 400

RAPHAËL LESSARD

#99 FRL Express/ Team Coach Imaging/Toyota/JBLAudio

 

 

ACCIDENT FORCES RAPHAËL LESSARD OUT OF WINCHESTER 400

Knocked out of race with 5 laps to go in epic first place battle

 

WINCHESTER, Indiana, October 9, 2016– Raphaël Lessard, from St-Joseph-de-Beauce, was not able to complete the 45th Annual Winchester 400 at the Winchester Speedway when Stephen Nasse lost control of his car and brought Lessard with him. This action-packed race was one of the several non championship races in which Raphaël has decided to participate this season.

 

Qualified 9th for this race, Raphaël raced against top notch drivers, such as NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers Cody Coughlin, Christopher Bell, William Byron and Dalton Sargeant. As a matter of fact, Lessard had an amazing battle with Coughlin who eventually bowed down to the 15 year-old Québec driver. However, what impressed the most was Raphaël's comeback undertaken with 50 laps to go.

 

It is behind the wheel of his Toyota Racing Camry #99 FRL Express/Team Coach Imaging /Toyota/JBLAudio, wearing for the occasion the I Brake for Trains logo, the latest safety campaign from CSX Transportation, that Raphaël went from 9th position to 1st place. Prepared by David Gilliland RacingLessard proved  once more that his car excels every time he attacks the leaders in closing laps of a race.

 

Five laps before the end, the worst happened when Lessard was trying to protect his first place against Dalton Sargeant and Stephen Nasse. After a contact between Sargeant and Nasse, who by then had passed Lessard, Nasse lost control of his #51 car and hit the wall. Raphaël was then on the outside of the field, and was not able to avoid him.

 

"Prior to the accident, the race was going very well, we led for many laps. At the beginning, we were safeguarding the car, we tried not to go to the front because it was rough racing.  The strategy was to get to the 300th lap without forcefully attacking, and then for the last 100 laps, we would go for it.  At the restart we were first, but we were passed because we had not stopped at the pits, the strategy being different.  When we came in to the pits for the last time, the team changed the tires on the right side and it did great for the car.  We were still leading the race until a yellow flag came up with 5 tours remaining. On the restart, Stephen Nasse and Dalton went through. I think that Dalton forgot to brake, because he hit Nasse and I was not able to prevent the accident."

 

Raphaël states that the team will be ready for the next CARS Tour Super Late Model race.  In all he is happy with the experience:  "Overall, we raced with the best in stock-cars, we even overtook them.  Of course, we go to the races to win them, so to not finish an event is disappointing, but we shall come back stronger. I can only thank the crew of David Gilliland Racing and TRD for their support and amazing work at preparing race after race a very performing car."

 

Once again, the commentators from Speed51 repeatedly commented on Raphaël undeniable talent. While the commentators had predicted that Christopher Bell, Dalton Sargeant or William Byron would win the race, they quickly changed their minds when they saw what Lessard was able to do behind the wheel. They were quite disappointed to see Raphaël abandon the race.

 

Raphaël's next race will be on October 29 for the second to last race in the CARS Tour Super Late Model series at the Hickory Motor Speedway.

 

We invite you to visit Raphaël's Facebook page for more details and information on each on-track appearance and also to follow his Twitter feed: @raphael_lessard. Photos and support documents are also available if you click on this Dropbox link.

 

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RAPHAËL LESSARD VICTIME D’UN ACCIDENT AU WINCHESTER 400

RAPHAËL LESSARD

# 99 FRL Express/Team Coach Imaging /Toyota/JBLAudio

 

 

 

RAPHAËL LESSARD VICTIME D'UN ACCIDENT AU WINCHESTER 400

 Contraint à l'abandon à 5 tours de la fin alors qu'il se battait pour la première place

 

WINCHESTER, Indiana, le 9 octobre 2016 -- Raphaël Lessard, le pilote originaire de St-Joseph de Beauce, n'a pu terminer la 45e édition du Winchester 400, au Winchester Speedway lorsqu'il n'a pas été en mesure d'éviter Stephen Nasse, victime d'une sortie de piste. Cette course haute en action faisait partie de la série de courses hors championnat que Raphaël effectue cette année.

 

Qualifié en 9e place, Raphaël a eu la chance de se frotter à des pilotes de haut niveau durant cette course, notamment les pilotes de la NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Cody Coughlin, William Byron et Dalton Sargeant. D'ailleurs, Lessard a eu une excellente bataille avec Coughlin qui s'est finalement incliné face au pilote québécois de 15 ans. Cependant, ce qui a le plus impressionné est certainement la remontée de Raphaël alors qu'il restait un peu plus de 50 tours à l'épreuve, lorsqu'il a décidé d'attaquer pour finalement prendre la tête du peloton.

                                                                                                                                            

C'est au volant de sa Toyota Racing Camry #99 FRL Express/Team Coach Imaging/Toyota/JBLAudio arborant le logo I Brake for Trains, la plus récente campagne de CSX Transportation, que Raphaël a réussi une belle remontée, passant de la 9e place à la première. Comme d'habitude, la voiture de Raphaël -- préparée par David Gilliland Racings'est montrée excellente en fin d'épreuve. C'est à cinq tours de la fin que le pire s'est produit, alors qu'à la relance Lessard se battait pour maintenir sa première place au profit de Dalton Sargeant et Stephen Nasse. Suite à un accrochage entre Sargeant et Nasse qui venait de le dépasser, Nasse a perdu le contrôle et frappé le mur. Raphaël était alors sur la ligne extérieure et n'a pu éviter la voiture de Nasse.

 

« Avant l'accident, la course se déroulait très bien, on a même mené plusieurs tours. Au début, je ménageais la voiture, j'essayait de ne pas aller en avant vu que ça brassait beaucoup. La stratégie était de se rendre jusqu'au 300tour sans attaquer fort, puis pour les 100 derniers tours j'allais foncer. Lors d'une relance je suis parti parmi les premiers, mais je me suis fait dépasser parce que je n'avais pas fait d'arrêt aux puits, la stratégie était différente. Lorsque je suis rentré aux puits pour la dernière fois, l'équipe a changé les pneus côté droits et là ça allait vraiment bien. Je menais la course jusqu'à une neutralisation vers le 5e tour, puis, à la relance, Stephen Nasse et Dalton m'ont dépassé. Je pense que Dalton a oublié de freiner à un moment donné, car il est venu frapper Nasse, et je n'ai pas pu éviter l'accident. »

 

Raphaël précise que l'équipe sera prête pour la prochaine course en CARS Tour Super Late Model. Somme toute, il se dit content de son expérience : « Nous avons tout de même roulé avec les meilleurs de stock-car, même que nous les avons dépassés. C'est sûr que nous allons aux courses pour gagner, alors de ne pas terminer l'épreuve c'est décevant, mais nous allons nous reprendre. Mais je ne peux que remercier David Gilliland Racing et TRD pour leur soutien et le travail fantastique qu'ils font pour me préparer de voitures performantes. »

 

 

Encore une fois, les commentateurs de Speed51 étaient élogieux à l'endroit de Raphaël, confirmant son talent indéniable de pilote d'ovale. Si les commentateurs avaient prévu que Christopher Bell, Dalton Sargeant ou bien que William Byron remporterait l'épreuve, ils se sont vite ravisés voyant ce que Lessard était en mesure de faire derrière le volant. Eux-mêmes étaient d'ailleurs très déçus de voir Lessard poussé à l'abandon.

 

La prochaine course de Raphaël sera le 29 octobre pour l'avant-dernière épreuve en CARS Tour Super Late Model au Hickory Motor Speedway.

 

Nous vous invitons à visiter la page Facebook de Raphaël pour plus de détails et informations sur le déroulement de ses sorties en piste, ou sur son compte Twitter @raphael_lessard. Pour des photos de Raphaël Lessard en action ou des documents de référence, veuillez cliquer sur ce lien Dropbox.

 

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